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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Economic Circular No. 26, Revised 



Issued January 28, 1918 



THE BOWFIN: 

An Old-Fashioned Fish With a New-Found Use.'* 

Peculiar interest often attaches to things distinctively old-fash- 
ioned or to relics of the past — antique furniture, ancient temples, 
ancestral customs. So among natural objects we find a fascination 
in patriarchal trees, immemorial rivers and waterfalls, beds of ancient 
seas, or remains of prehistoric animals. We gift them with powers 
of memory ; we fancy they could tell wonderful stories. Here in our 
American fresh waters, at least where they are most quiet, we find 
an old type of fish. Many persons catch it who do not really know it. 
They find it taking their bait and eating other fishes. Thej^ call it 
a nuisance, a wolf in the sheepfold. They speak of its " ferocious 
looks and voracious habits." Others take it who know its place in 
the fish world. To them it is of wonderful interest, because it is both 




primitive and modern. Take its swim bladder, for example. In or- 
dinary fish this is a simple sac to give buoyancy to the body; in the 
bowfin it is something like a lung, for this fish can rise to the surface 
and literally " take a breath of air." There ane other parts that 
remind us of the primitive soft-skeletoned fishes of the seas. Yet the 
bowfin has taken to itself .modern parts, such as scales that would 
grace the most modern member of the tribe. 

No wonder that it puzzled scientists until they catalogued it in an 
order and family all its own and disposed of it with a Latin name, 
Amiatus calvus. No wonder, either, that ordinary mortals expressed 
their bewilderment with a prodigality of names, such as bowfin, 
grindle, John A. Grindle, dogfish, mudfish, lake lawyer, poisson de 
marais, marshfish, blackfish, choupique, cypris trout, willow pike — 
but that is enough. 

What is the bowfin ? We can not compare it, because it has no near 
relatives in this country or in any other part of the world. It is 



"By R. 

Fisheries. 



E. Coker, assistant in charce of Scientific Inquiry, United States Bureau of 
Tbe illustration is after Forbes and Richardson (The Fishes of Ulinois). 

28621°— 18 ^ Ai 



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found only in North American waters. Its next of kin found rest 
from the labors of fish life some millions of years ago. This was 
in times that the geologist calls Mesozoic. To modern fishes it is a 
sort of surviving ancestor. It deserted its proper contemporaries to 
continue the battle of life in competition with modern descendants 
of the ancestral stock. It plays no mean part in the present struggle 
for existence among fishes, as every angler and commercial fisherman 
can testify. It is true that ages long past witnessed the disappear- 
ance of this peculiar form from European waters; but in America, 
even down to this time, the bowfin positively declines to be elbowed 
out of the way, not even by fishes that seem more fitting to the pres- 
ent day and more acceptable to the modern palate. In every lake, 
pond, or bayou that it chooses for its home the bowfin holds its own 
against all comers — vigorous in competition and voracious in 
depredation. 

As in the case of many other kinds of fish that are generally con- 
demned, but for lack of commercial value are little sought, it has 
gained an increasing advantage over its more esteemed contempo- 
raries. Having been termed " useless and obnoxious," it was let 
severelj'^ alone. All this Ave might imagine to be very pleasing to 
Amiatus, for nothing so coincides with the ambition of any living 
form as to be allowed to multiply and replenish the earth, or the 
waters, with its own race. Meantime, of course, it devours the off- 
spring of other races less favored of fortune because more favored in 
the market. 

We have now learned that the bowfin need not be held in low 
regard as an article of food, and accordingly as an object of com- 
mercial pursuit. After subjection to a very simple and practical 
method of salting and smoking it becomes a real delicacy. The 
soft, past}^ flesh has been regarded as objectionable in the fresh 
bowfin, but in a smoked fish nothing is so desirable as. this smooth, 
cheesy texture, which almost permits the meat to melt in the mouth. 
A rich, clear flavor is also imparted by the process of smoking. 
Even those persons, therefore, who have been decidedly prejudiced 
against the bowfin, as, indeed, are practically all who have known the 
fish without smoking, have pronounced the smoked product equal or 
superior to any other smoked fish. 

Where and how is the bowfin found ? A lover of sluggish waters, 
it is abundant in the Great Lakes region, in the Mississippi Valley 
from Minnesota to Louisiana, and in the east from New York to 
Florida. It seems to like the weedy waters, frequenting the shal- 
lows at night and returning to the deeper places by day. In some 
localities it is best known to those who fish by night with the jack 
lantern and spear. In one Wisconsin lake bowfin were found during 
the winter so closely huddled in gravelly pockets among the water 
w eeds that two at a time were often impaled on a spear. 



0. Of D, 

fEB 13 13 



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So shallow is the water chosen for nesting purposes, and so absorbed 
are the fish in their family responsibilities, that in some places a 
common mode of capture, for fun or for food, is to wade out in the 
marehes where the fish are nesting, approach slowly and cautiously, 
and seize the victim with one's hands. Presumably, it is principally 
the males that are taken in this way, for it is they that bear the 
burden of guarding the eggs and nursing the young. 

Tlie bowfin may be captured commercially by means of the fyke 
or hoop net or by the seine, but the baited set line is probably the 
most effective method. Wlien seines are used it must be remembered 
that this strong fish can make a remarkably quick " get-away," dis- 
appeai-ing beneath the vegetation or in the soft mud. When cap- 
tured with the hook and line it is described as " one of the hardest 
fighters that ever took the hook." It is indeed entitled to be gamy, 
for it is one of the most rapacious of our fishes. 

With its strong, sharp teeth, a bowfin has been known to bite a 
2-pound fish in two at a single snap. Apparently it is active and 
feeds the 24 hours of the day. Its food is principally fish, crawfish, 
and mollusks. It is said to leave dead fish unmolested; surely one 
can take no exception to the bowfin from the quality of its diet. 

The. bowfin, then, offers us an instance of a fish which is abun- 
dantly able tx) take care of itself so far as regards its competitors 
and the conditions of its environment. As long as we eagerly seek 
the other fishes and discard the bowfin-, we are working to give it 
an increasing preponderance- over species which earlier found a place 
in our esteem. Accordingly, two purposes are to be served by a 
pioper utilization of the bowfin. In the first place, a fish that has 
been largely wasted is made useful and a new item added to our 
already too limited supply of food; in the second place, a regular 
fishery for bowfin will tend to restore and to maintain a proper bal- 
ance between this and other species that dwelt together and in com- 
petition before man began to disturb natural conditions. 

A word to the purchaser. The distribution of the bowfin is such 
that the supply in local marliets need not generally be brought from 
great distances. It may be expected to reach the markets of large 
cities, but the fish seems peculiarly adapted to meet the requirements 
for a home-made or local-made product in cured fish. 

The methods of preparing the bowfin by salting and smoking may 
be described as follows*: 

METHODS OF CLEANING AND SMOKING BOWFIN.* 

The fish is scrubbed lightly with an ordinary scrub brush to remove sllrae 
and dirt from the scales, but the scales are left on. The head is severed, a slit 

" The methods were d'eveloped by J. B. Southall at the Fisheries Biological Station, 
Fairport, Iowa. The use of fish from very warm water is not recommended. In many 
localities, therefore, especially in the South, smoking should not be attempted during the 
summer months. 



made along the belly to the vent, and the viscera removed. After the fish is 
cleaned and washed the ribs are cut on both sides of the backbone and the 
latter is removed. The dark mass of the kidney will be found back of the 
vent and should also be removed. 

When thus dressed the fish are ready to be dry salted, a method superior 
to brine salting because it makes the fish tougher and better able to be sus- 
pended from the hooks in the smokehouse. A layer o|^ salt is sprinkled on 
the bottom of a tub, a layer of fish placed scale side down on the salt, a layer 
of salt placed on this, another layer of fish placed on the salt, and so on. 

The fish remain in the tub overnight, or at least 12 hours. They are then 
washed and placed in water for about 1 hour to freshen them ; this process 
may be hastened by changing the water four or five times at intervals of 10 
minutes. They are then placed on wire trays to dry. 

When the surface moisture has ciisappeared the fish are suspended by S 
hooks in the smokehouse." They are smoked with considerable heat for 4 or 5 
hours and then with less heat but an abundance of smoke for 15 to 20 hours. 
Hickory or other hardwood fuel or the shavings from furniture or wagon fac- 
tories are preferred ; corncobs may also be used. After the smoking is completed 
the fish are left in the smokehouse imtil cool, thus preventing sweating, which 
may occur if they are taken out while warm. Sweating is one of the principal 
causes of the growth of mold. 

Splitting along the belly is said to leave the thick, soft meat on each side of 
the backbone less exposed to the drying effect of the smoke and in better condi- 
tion. This meat near the backbone is the real delicacy, although the rest of the 
flesh is of excellent flavor. An objection to the belly-splitting method is that 
the outer edges tend to curl, but this can be obviated, if desired, by pressing the 
fish between pieces of coarse wire cloth tied together at the edges. If back- 
splitting is preferred, the knife should be kept close to the backbone on each 
side, removing the bone with as little waste as possible. 

If kept too long, any smoked fish is liable to mold, biit it can be protected 
both from mold and from attack by ordinai\v pests by dipping in melted paraflin, 
which, when cooled, forms a protective envelope. The paraffin is easily removed 
by immersing the fish for a few moments in hot water. 

RECIPES FOR SMOKED BOWFIN. 

INIany persons like the smoked bowfin best when served cold and 
without additions except for the purpose of garnishment. It can, 
hov^^ever, be prepared for the table by most of the methods appli- 
cable to other smoked fish. Some of the simplest and most satis- 
factory as well as some of the more elaborate modes of preparation 
are suggested by the following recipes. Except as otherwise noted, 
these recipes have been prepared by the Office of Plome Economics 
of the Department of Agriculture. 

(Note. — It is suggested that smoked fish be first wiped with a clean, dam]) 
cloth.) 

Panned howfin.^ — Place fish, opened and spread out, in pan. Dot with gen- 
erous lumps of butter, and add a little milk. Place in oven until thoroughly 
heated through. This makes a delicious breakfast dish. 

" The construction and operation of the smokehouse is described in the Bureau of 
Fisheries Economic Circuhir No. 27, Revised. 
'' Contributed bj' Miss A. W. Stearns. 



Baked hoivfin in paper.'^ — Wrap one bowfln (average size fish) in one or two 
thicknesses of jiaper (preferably the brown paper used by butchers), place in a 
pan and put in a liot oven for one-lialf hour. The fish is thus thoroughly lieated 
without being dried out. Before serving remove paper wrapping and the skin 
of the fish. 

Broiled bowfln.* — Place bowfin on gridiron, flesh side down, over glowing fire. 
When broiled remove from fire and coat with melted butter. 

In all the recipes that follow the bowfin should be skinned and the 
head, tail, fins, and bones should be removed. If the fish is too salty, 
soak in water until the excess salt is removed. 

Boiled boirfin. — Prepare fish as directed above. Boil, in enough water to 
cover it well, for 15 or 20 minutes. 

Creamed bowfln. — To about 1 pint of hot boiled bowfin, broken in pieces, 
add 1 cup of cream sauce. Mix the sauce and fish together well. Serve on 
toast. 

Smoked bowfin patties.'' — Take 2 cups ground fish, 2 cups cracker crumbs. 

1 egg, and one-half cup milk or cream. Beat egg, add remainder of ingredients, 
and form into patties. Put equal parts of butter and lard in skillet, and fry 
to a golden brown. Serve on hot platter garnished with parsley. 

Creamed bowfin on toast.^ — Take 2 cups milk or cream, 2 tablespoonfuls of 
flour, and 1 cup smoked fish cut into small pieces. Boil milk and flour, then 
add fish. Serve hot on toast. 

Smoked bowfin salad.'' — Take equal parts of smoked bowfin and celery, cut 
into small pieces and add 1 cup of nut meats. Pour over this mayonnaise 
dressing to which whipped cream has been added. 

Smoked bowfln tvitli sour sauce. — To about 1 pint of hot boiled bowfin add 
one cup of sour sauce ; mix well and serve hot on toast. Sour sauce : 2 table- 
spoonfuls butter, 2 tablespoonfuls" flour, 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar, | 
teaspoonful nuistard, i teaspoonful pepper, | teaspoonful salt. Melt the butter, 
add the flour, and cook 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in milk slowly, and cook till thick, 
stirring constantly. Warm the vinegar and very slowly pour into the sauce, 
stirring hard all the time. Season with salt, pepper, and mustard. 

Bote fin soup stock. — 3 cups stock (fish); 1 cup water; 3 potatoes, diced; 

2 teaspoonfuls lemon juice, i teaspoonful pepper; 5 carrots, sliced thin; 3 thin 
slices onion ; 1 stalk celery, chopped fine. To 3 cups water in which bowfin 
had been boiled 15 minutes, add 1 cup water. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, and 
celery and cook until vegetables are tender. Add lemon juice and pepper. 
Serve hot with croutons. 

Bowfln mush balls. — 2 cups finely shredded boiled bowfin, 1^ cups mush made 
from soy-bean meal or cornmeal ; 2 eggs, well beaten ; i teaspoonful pepper ; 
i teaspoonful celery salt. Mix together all the ingredients in the order given 
and roll into balls. Roll balls in crumbs, then in beaten egg, then in crumbs 
again. Fry brown in deep fat. Serve hot with or without tomato or egg sauce. 

Escalloped bavfln. — 1 pint boiled bowfin, 2 tablespoonfuls flour, 3 tablespoon- 
fuls butter, 1^ cups milk, 1 teaspoonful salt, i teaspoonful pepper, i cup bread 
crumbs. Put a layer of bowfin in a buttered baking dish, tlien a layer of flour, 
butter, salt, and pepper, then another layer of fish, etc., until the dish is filled. 
Put a thick layer of bread crumbs on top and dot with butter. Bake in a 
moderate oven for 30 minutes. 

" Contributed by Mrs. J. V. Greene. 

'• Contributed by Mrs. Templeton van de Bogert. 

' Contributed by Mrs. A. F. Shira. 



Molded fish with Normandy sauce. — IJ cups finely shredded fish, whites of 
2 eggs, 1\ cups cream, pepper to taste, cayenne to taste. Mix the ingredients 
in tlie order given, turn into a buttered fish mold or baking dish, cover with 
buttered paper, set in pan of hot water and balie until fish is firm. Turn on 
serving dish and serve witli sauce. 

Normandy sauce: Cooli a little fish with three slices of carrots, one slice 
onion, sprig of parsley, a bay leaf, i teaspoouful peppercorns, and 2 cups 
water ; allow to cook for 30 minutes, then strain. There should be one cup of 
liquid. Melt 2 tablespoonfuls butter, add 3 tablespoonfuls flour, 1 cup fish 
stock, 4 cup cream, and yolks of 2 eggs. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. 

Toasted boirfhi. — Place long, thin strips of bowfin on a greased wire broiler 
and broil until brown on one side. Remove to serving dish and spread with 
butter. 

Potato fish balls. — One cup shredded bowfin ; 2 heaping cups potatoes, diced ; 
1 egg, well beaten ; * tablespoonful butter ; i teaspoonful pepper ; i teaspoonful 
salt. Cook fish and diced potatoes in boiling water until potatoes are soft. 
Drain through strainer, return to kettle in which they were cooked, and mash 
thoroughly. Add butter, well-beaten egg, and pepper. Beat well, and add salt. 
Fry, by spoonfuls, for one minute in deep fat. Drain on brown paper and serve 
hot with or without tomato or egg sauce. 

Potato fish hash. — One cup shredded fish, 2 heaping cups diced potatoes, i 
tablespoonful butter, ^ teaspoonful pepper, ^ tea.spoonful salt. Boil fish and 
potatoes together until done. Drain through strainer, return to cooking kettle, 
and mash thoroughly. Try out salt pork in a frying pan, remove scraps, leav- 
ing enough fat to moisten potatoes and fish. Put in fish and potatoes, stir till 
heated, then cook over a slow fire till well browned underneath. Fold and turn 
like omelet. 

Fish box. — Line a buttered bread pan or baking dish with warmed steamed 
rice. Fill the center with cold, boiled, flaked fish and season with salt, pepper, 
and a little nutmeg. Cover it with rice and pour over it fish stock to within an 
inch of the top of the pan. Butter the top layer of rice and bake 1 hour. Turn 
on platter and serve with cream sauce or tomato sauce. 

Fislb sandicichcs. — Mix flaked boiled fish with enough mayonnaise to moisten 
it, add chopped celery, season and spread between slices of buttered rye bread. 



LIST OF ECONOMIC CIRCULARS ON FISH AS FOOD. 

These circulars are sent free on application. Order by number from Division F, United 
States Bureau of Fisheries, Washington, D. C. 

11. Canned salmon : Cheaper than meats and why ; including 50 tested recipes. 

12. Sea mussels : What they are and how to cook them ; with IS recipes. 

13. Commercial possibilities of the goosefish : A neglected food ; with 10 recipes. 

18. Oysters: The food that has not "gone up." A little of their history and 

how to cook them. 

19. The tilefish : A new deep-sea food flsh. 

20. Caviar : What it is and how to prepare it. 

22. The grayflsh. Try it. It knocks H out of the H. C. of L. 

23. The sablefish, alias black cod. An introduction to one of the best and 
I richest of xVmerican food fishes, with recipes for cooking it. 

25. The burbot : A fresh-water cousin to the cod. 

2G. The bowfin: An old-fashioned fish with a new-found use. (Revised.) 

>7. A practical small smokehouse for fish. How to construct and operate it. 

I ( Revised. ) 

28. Preserving fish for domestic use. 

29. Why and how to use salt and smoked fish. Sixty-one ways of cooking them. 
50. I'ossibilities of food from fish. 

31. The carp: A valuable food resource; with 23 recipes. 
52. The whiting: A good fish not adequately utilized. 
)3. The eulachon : A rich and delicious little fish. 



■WASHINGTON : GOVERXMEXT PRINTING OFFICE : 1918 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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LIBRRRY OF CONUKt^^ 



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